Wine Routes

Discover the pleasures of the wine route in Cape Town

The Wine Routein Cape Town stretches from the ancient mountains and slopes of the stunning coastal regions to the wide-open plains of the Little Karoo, where viticulture takes place in the wetter riverine valleys. Most of South Africa’s vineyards are found in the Western Cape, near the coast, as rainfall on the coastal side, where gorgeous indigenous fynbos and Renosterveld vegetation thrive, can measure up to 1000 mm per year. The hinterland over the mountains experiences dramatically decreased rainfall, with vegetation dominated by hardy succulents, cycads and aloes.

There are currently almost 101 325 hectares of vines producing excellent wine grapes cultivated and harvested over an area of an impressive 800 km in length. The Wine of Origin scheme has provided amazing sponsorships for wine production, and according to their brilliant scheme, the wine production zones in the Cape winelands have been officially demarcated in to regions, districts and wards. There are five main regions: Breede River Valley, Coastal, Little Karoo, Olifants River and Boberg. These regions cover 21 unique districts and up to 64 smaller wards.

A winelands tour with Wine Tasting Tours, will take you on an enlightening, exciting journey through many of these wine routes and prestigious wine-producing destinations.

Why indulge on a Cape Winelands Tour?

The Wine Route in Cape Town has some of the most stunning viticultural settings in the world. Several of the wine routes, including Constantia, Durbanville, Darling, Stellenbosch, Helderberg, Paarl, Franschhoek, Wellington and Walker Bay are within a short drive from Cape Town, while others such as Breedekloof, Worcester, Robertson, the Little Karoo, Tulbagh, the Swartland, Olifants River and the Northern Cape take longer journeys but have routes through distinct, magnificent scenery. If you are interested in a Cape Winelands tour, then you will certainly be spoilt for choice when visiting this diverse part of the country!

Cape Town has earned the endearing title of the Mother City, and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Africa. Aside from the Wine Route, Cape Town boasts innumerable attractions, such as the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain, Robben Island, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens and Cape Point. There is also a host of adventure-centric activities available in the area, so a winelands tour can be topped off with a hot-air balloon ride or exciting game drive.

The Western Cape is home to top-class hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, wellness spas, game lodges and golf courses. Our Cape Winelands tour packages include some of these activities, as well as offering guests the option of going horseback riding, mountain climbing or enjoying an indulgent sunset cruise. The Cape offers arguably the best land-based whale watching in the country – if not the world – and is famous for its unspoilt beaches, stunning indigenous fynbos, gorgeous spring flowers and abundant bird life. Many of the historic wine farms on the wine route in Cape Town still have pristine examples of the quaint Cape Dutch architecture that was immensely popular during the 18th and 19th centuries. These charming homes have distinguishing gables, thatched roofs and thick lime-washed walls.